GATEWAY Newsletter BUES Feb 2025

Some thoughts for the starting school year

BUES February 2025 Newsletter

GATEWAY (Gifted and Talented Education With All Youth) Mission:

To support all students through talent development and to identify, challenge, and encourage academically advanced and creative learners.

From the Desk of Mrs. Clark

Grade 4 and Grade 5 Tier 2 Math

We now have Tier 2 students who have worked their way up to Level 5! This is quite an accomplishment! Many students are hard at work attempting the variety of challenges, tasks , and activities available on the Tier 2 Google Classrooms. Did you know that students can access their Google accounts at home on any device that has internet connection? They simply need to sign in on Google. I also make paper copies available that can easily be brought home to work on. Students are welcome to come see me with questions, requests, or to let me know a level has been completed. I enjoy celebrating their accomplishments with them and building relationships beyond the computer!

Tier 3 Advanced Math

Grade 4

Division has been our topic in Grade 4 Advanced Math this month. We have focused on the relationship of multiplication and division, strategies to solving division problems, fractions as division, and how to interpret the remainder when solving word problems. As always, we infuse common sense, real-world applications, and higher order thinking into our lessons. Students have been highly motivated, engaged, and successful!

Grade 5

Fifth-grade mathematicians have completed their study of fractions. We ended with some tricky fraction “Magic Squares” that called for them to use fractions in a variety of waysNext, and a yummy investigation “Chocolate Math”. These super students have demonstrated a deep understanding of fractions - what they are and how to use them in math as well as in real life. Next week we will tackle a “100th Day” Math Challenge before we move onto a Division mini-unit.

Grade 4 and Grade 5 Tier 3 STEM

BUES 4th and 5th grade STEM students are superstars! They continue to impress me with their creativity, cooperation, and knowledge. With the Engineering Design Process as our guide, we completed fantastic projects recently. 4th graders explored “Alternative Energy”, building 2 different wind turbines. 5th graders learned about the science behind Zip Lines as they built their own “Zipline Racers”. We all took advantage of the arctic weather of the last month to learn the answer to “Why has it been so cold?”, studying the polar vortex and attempting to create Frozen Bubbles!! Both grades have now started their research projects. While 4th graders are focusing on Famous Bridges, 5th graders are researching a field of Engineering. All students will complete and present a final project - either a poster or a Google Slideshow. I can’t wait for their presentations!

Question:

Games of all kinds are a great way to build skills of all kinds, including math and logical reasoning. In both Advanced Math and STEM we play a variety of games that get us thinking.

What games are played in your home? Board games? Cards? Other?

From the Desk of Miss Proctor

Grade 4 and 5 Tier 2 ELA

Students in Tier 2 have a lot of choices to challenge and extend their thinking. In the Tier 2 Google Classrooms, there are a variety of topics, such as sports, food, nature, etc. from which to choose different tasks. Students in Tier 2 should be completing at least 1 assignment a month. The assignments are graded on a 4 point scale (4 being exemplary). If a student completes all the assignments under a particular topic they should come see me. Here are some student examples! Example 1, Example 2, Example 3 (students created an assignment for other students to complete!)

Tier 3 Advanced ELA

Grade 4

Students in Tier 3 have finished A Handful of Stars, created final projects (example 1, example 2, example 3) and have started their new book Inside Out and Back Again. Students prepared to engage with the novel by making predictions, discussing the author's background and purpose, and gaining familiarity with the setting. Each week, students are assigned either independent reading homework or creative assignments in order to engage in weekly lessons and discussions about the novel. Please note the importance of completing the reading homework for the success of students and the entire class. Students are also encouraged to complete at least 1 assignment in Tier 2 during their WIN blocks (What I Need Block/Intervention Block) a month, as they are enrichment activities directly related to the units in their general ELA class.

About Inside Out & Back Again:

Inside Out & Back Again tells the story of a young Vietnamese girl named Hà, who is forced to flee her home in Saigon with her family during the fall of the city at the end of the Vietnam War. She navigates the challenges of adjusting to a new life as a refugee in Alabama, where she faces cultural differences, racism, and the ongoing grief of a missing father while trying to build a new life for herself and her family.

Grade 5

Students in Tier 3 are reading Brown Girl Dreaming, and have learned a little bit about the Civil Rights Movement, which is when this story takes place. Please note the importance of completing the reading homework for the success of students and the entire class. Students are also encouraged to complete at least 1 assignment in Tier 2 a month during their WIN blocks (What I Need Block/Intervention Block), as they are enrichment activities directly related to the units in their general ELA class.

About Brown Girl Dreaming:

Brown Girl Dreaming is a 2014 adolescent verse memoir written by Jacqueline Woodson. It tells the story of the author’s early childhood life growing up as an African American girl in the 1960’s and depicts the events that led her to become a writer. The book has been considered one of the exemplary pieces of modern children’s literature by critics who have analyzed the book and has gained positive reception. It has won multiple awards, including a Newbery Honor.

Grade 5 FPS

Students are working on fundraising for the BIS/BHS FPS team that is competing! We will be selling homemade baked goods for the staff on the half days. Here is a link to ideas the students had. Please let Ms. Proctor know if you would like to donate/make something, or if you have any questions or concerns!